10 - 16 June 2023

In the realm of college life, there exists a perpetual dance between beginnings and endings. Every passing year witnesses the arrival of a new cohort, eagerly embarking on their transformative journey, while bidding farewell to the graduates who have reached the culmination of their academic pursuit. Such is the essence of life on campus — a continuous cycle of transition and growth. 

The Kreaverse is abuzz with anticipation for Prarambh 2023 — the Orientation Programme for the MBA class of 2025 at IFMR GSB. Set to commence on 5 July, the week-long line-up of activities promise to prepare the incoming cohort to embrace new connections and experiences that will shape their future endeavours. Simultaneously, the School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences (SIAS) too is set to unveil its own unique Orientation Programme on 17 and 18 July.  

As we find ourselves in the midst of transition, where one chapter takes its first steps while another gracefully fades, we look forward to the grand affair of the year — Convocation 2023 — drawing near in a mere two weeks. The countdown has commenced, igniting a surge of activity as preparations intensify, capturing the undivided attention and efforts of everyone.

Within the whirlwind of vibrant activities that eagerly await their turn on campus in the coming weeks, an ongoing event of utmost significance, quietly unfolding in the virtual realm, concludes today. The Research Symposium on Finance and Economics (RSFE) 2023 by IFMR GSB commenced on 14 June. The event stood as a testament to the power of collaboration, as minds from diverse backgrounds joined forces to unravel the latest trends of Finance and Economics, driving innovation.

Once again, as the week unfolds at Krea, it serves as a gentle nudge, reminding us of the significance that stems from the synergy of collaboration and the value of individual contributions within the vast expanse of the Kreaverse.  If you’d like to share what you’ve been up to in terms of professional achievements and would like for us to share it with a larger universe, please don’t hesitate to write to us at all.commsteam@krea.edu.in.

This week we shine the spotlight on Raga, the Music Club of IFMR GSB

Raga is a blend of passion and commitment of talented young minds who pursue music as an expression of arts, emotions and creativity. As a music club, Raga strives to be a medium through which audience can step out of their mundane lifestyle and groove to some beats. Raga strives to resemble the diversity of India by bringing together various languages, genres and themes. They conduct various events and jamming sessions with an attempt to create a space for music in everybody's heart.

On Krea’s social media platforms, in the coming week, we will give you a glimpse of the significant work done by Raga over the recent months.

We are pleased to announce that at Convocation 2023, Honorary Doctorates will be conferred upon on distinguished guests — Sujatha Rao, former Union Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI for her contribution to health services nationally and internationally, and Suchitra Ella, Co-founder, Bharat Biotech for her contribution to the world of medical science and research.

K Sujatha Rao served as Union Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the Government of India until 2010, where she was involved in the first-ever national programme for non-communicable diseases; the process for a national policy for use of antibiotics; and introducing vaccines in public health. Previously she was Director General of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) from 2006-2009, where she was instrumental in establishing systems and building up NACO with a capacity to implement programmes with a five-fold budget increase. She has represented India on boards of the WHO, Global Fund and UNAIDS. Ms Rao was previously a Takemi Fellow for International Health at the Harvard School of Public Health (1993). She is currently the first Gro Harlem Brundtland Senior Leadership Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Suchitra Ella is the Managing Director of Bharat Biotech and a co-founder of the company. With expertise in various areas such as Customer Operations, Finance, Marketing, and Business Development, she oversees critical operations at Bharat Biotech. Apart from her role at Bharat Biotech, Suchitra Ella holds prominent positions in organisations like CII - Southern Region and Indian Women Network. She is actively involved in the company's CSR initiatives and serves on the Boards of ISB Well Wisher's Trust and United Way Hyderabad. Suchitra Ella has a BA in Economics and Social Sciences from the University of Madras. She has received numerous accolades, including the Padma Bhushan, South Indian Business Achievers Award, Zee TV Best Women Entrepreneur Award, SAARC Women Entrepreneur Award, Women in Healthcare Award, and FICCI FLO Influential Women Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Biotech Industry.

As part of Prarambh 2023 – the Orientation Programme for the MBA class of 2025 of IFMR GSB – that is set to take place on 5 July 2023 at our Sri City campus, we have planned an immersive day-long experience to help acquaint our incoming cohort with the vibrant Kreaverse and prepare them for what’s in store. Watch this space for more updates.

Professor Ramachandra Guha, Distinguished Professor of History at SIAS has been honoured with the esteemed Elizabeth Longford 2023 Prize for Historical Biography. This prestigious award recognises his book titled, Rebels Against the Raj. The annual Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography, established in 2003, that honours the esteemed biographer Elizabeth Longford, recognises outstanding historical biographies that blend scholarship and narrative drive.

Dr Sathya Saminadan RS, Assistant Professor of Marketing at IFMR GSB, recently authored an article How Important is Graduation Outcome (GO) for a Business Student, which delves into the significance of Graduation Outcome for Business students and how it impacts their career prospects & personal growth.

Read here

Prof Lorraine Whitmarsh, an environmental psychologist from the University of Bath, presented a virtual talk titled Engaging the Public With Climate Change: How Can We Achieve Low-Carbon Lifestyle Change? as part of the Krea Psychology Talks series on January 23, 2023. She discussed the public's role in addressing climate change, the importance of behaviour change, and strategies to foster low-carbon behavior. Prof Whitmarsh explored the gap between attitudes and action on climate change and proposed methods to bridge this divide. Additionally, she highlighted the connections between the environment, mental health, well-being, and climate anxiety.

Watch the full video here

In this episode of Decoding Disciplines - The Krea Way, Prof S Sivakumar, Professor of Physics and Dean of Research at SIAS, discusses the philosophy and pedagogy of Physics stream at Krea University.

As a liberal education university, Krea emphasises Interwoven Learning and critical thinking. The interdisciplinary approach to teaching Physics at Krea University enables students to apply principles in Physics to solve real-world problems. The curriculum at Krea University is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in Physics while also fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Tune in! Watch the video here

Thank you, Roudrojjwal Bose, cohort of 2024, IFMR GSB for highlighting nature's inherent ability to thrive and flourish in its own little ways on our campus, with or without human intervention